Few things are as sobering as having to use the “Injury Bear” image on the second day of padded practices during training camp.
And that it impacts a player who is trying to earn a starting spot makes it sting that much more:
#Bears HC Matt Nagy confirms that CB Artie Burns hurt his left knee in today's practice. No update yet.
— Larry Mayer (@LarryMayer) August 18, 2020
Bears Head Coach Matt Nagy told reporters that cornerback Artie Burns left practice early because of a knee injury. Nagy was unsure about the severity of the injury and the team needs more time to gather information.
In case you missed it, Burns was running with the first-team defense during Monday’s practice. And while it was a bit of a surprise that Burns got the nod over returning corner Kevin Toliver II and rookie Jaylon Johnson, I’ll admit I’m intrigued by Burns as a potential post-hype sleeper. The Steelers drafted Burns in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft. Burns’ first two years in Pittsburgh were solid, but his playing time (and production) diminished in his final two seasons. Perhaps there is some untapped potential that can be unlocked in Chicago. Hopefully, Burns’ knee injury won’t keep him off the field long and we’ll be able to see the cornerback competition play out to its fullest.
In the meantime, Toliver and Johnson will move up the depth chart while Burns’ sidelined.